His Father's Son
by ClaireOwen
Summary: Hermione Granger Weasley has a secret that she can never tell anyone.But eight years later,what happens when the secret is brought to life?Will she finally tell Snape that Hugo is his son?Or will she continue to live a lie?
1. Chapter 1

"Hermione, it's a boy. We have a boy, Hermione. I have a son." Ron Weasley's voice was full of wonder and he seemed to be struggling to hold back tears as he walked to his wife's bedside, with their newborn baby in his arms.

"He's beautiful, Hermione. Thank you." Ron whispered, placing a kiss on Hermione's forehead as he handed the baby to her.

Hermione gave a weary smile as she took the baby in her arms. It had been a long labor and she was exhausted, wanting to do nothing more than sleep. Before she slept, however, she wanted to see her baby. As she prepared to look at her baby for the first time, Hermione whispered a silent prayer. _Please..Please God…please let it be…_

Hermione pulled back the wrappings that obscured the baby's face and closed her eyes for a moment.

"Isn't he beautiful, Hermione? And look at that dark hair! He'll be the first Weasley without red hair, that's for sure. Takes after his mother, he does." Ron beamed from his chair next to Hermione's bed.

Ron was right. The baby was beautiful. He had soft, velvety skin and a small rosebud mouth that was puckered in his sleep. His dark hair, so dark it was nearly black, stood straight up, instead of laying down flat against his head. He had a tiny, pert little nose and ten perfect fingers and toes.

"Ron, we have to think of a name." Hermione stared at the tiny baby in her arms, trying to imagine a name that would suit him. A name from long ago flashed through her mind and she quickly brushed it aside.

"We could name him after Dad."

Hermione wrinkled her nose. She loved Arthur dearly but she couldn't picture the baby is her arms as "Arthur".

"What about Stephen?"

Ron shuddered. "I have a cousin named Stephen. He used to eat his own boogies when we were kids. I could never name my son Stephen."

Hermione looked up from her intense study of the baby. "I've never met him."

Ron gave her a look. "Right. And I intend on keeping it that way. He's a very distant relative, if you ask me. Distant as in he's half out of his mind." He muttered.

"Well…what about William? And it's Bill's name. And he's always been very good to us. We could honor Bill."

Ron grinned. "He'd love that. Long as it's not George, that'd just serve to inflate his head even more. So William it is." He frowned suddenly. "We still need a middle name."

"Hugo. Hugo William." Hermione said suddenly, the name falling gracefully out her mouth.

"Hugo William Weasley. I like it. Where'd you come up with 'Hugo', though?" Ron asked.

"Oh…name of a very old wizard I read about in a book." Hermione mumbled, focusing her gaze on the baby. "Hugo William. " She whispered, trying the name on for size.

As she said his name, the baby suddenly opened his eyes, as if he already knew his name.

"Oh my.." Hermione gasped, staring at her son's eyes.

"Hermione, what's…Bloody hell." Ron said, peering over Hermione's shoulder at the baby.

Speechless, Hermione traced a fingertip over her son's face, trying to avoid looking into her baby's open eyes.

"His eyes are so dark! They're almost black!" Ron exclaimed, still staring into the baby's eyes.

And it was true. Little Hugo's eyes were such a deep brown that they were almost black.

"Hermione! How can his eyes be that dark?"

Hermione sighed, biting her lip. "They'll probably lighten up as he gets older, Ron."

"I hope so. I don't like his eyes being that dark. Remind me of Snape, that greasy git." Ron muttered.

Hermione didn't respond. Instead, she lay the newly named Hugo in the bassinet next to her bed and turned over. "I'm tired, Ron, and I don't want to hear you talk about how our baby looks like Professor Snape. Why don't you go to your parents' house and check on Rose? And then you can bring her back here in a little while so she can meet her little brother."

Ron nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'll see you in a bit, love." He bent down and kissed Hermione softly on the lips and then looked into the bassinet next to Hermione's bed.

"Bye Hugo." He touched the baby's tiny hand and then headed towards the door. "I'll be back with Rose in a bit, Hermione."

Hermione turned over to face the baby and looked at her son, sleeping soundly, his little fist clenching and unclenching in his sleep. He was beautiful. _He looks just like him_, Hermione noted.

"You look just like your father," She whispered. "He would be so proud of you if he could see you now." _At least, I hope he would_, Hermione thought. Really, it didn't matter either way.

Severus Snape would never know that he was Hugo's father.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Eight Years Later**_

"Bye Rose! Have fun! I'll send you an owl every day! Be careful! We love you!" Hermione smiled as she waved goodbye to her daughter. She couldn't believe Rose was old enough to go to Hogwarts, she thought, as she watched the scarlet steam engine disappear in a cloud of smoke. It would certainly be different around the house with Rose gone and things would change in again, when, in just a few years, Hugo would join her at Hogwarts.

"Well, that's it. She's off. Let's get going if we're going to make it to Diagon Alley." Ron said as he clapped an arm around Hermione's shoulders. In typical Ron fashion, he wasn't terribly affected by his first born going off to Hogwarts. _Emotional range of a teaspoon indeed,_ Hermione thought inwardly.

"Yeah, Mom! I wanna go see Uncle George!" Hugo said excitedly as he bounded towards Hermione. And Hermione caught her breath, as she did every time Hugo looked at her.

Now eight years old, Hugo was a tall, sturdy little boy with dark hair and even darker eyes that had not faded as Hermione had told Ron they would. Many people commented on how Hugo must take after Hermione's side of the family, as he looked nothing like Ron and bore a very little resemblance to Rose, who took after her father with red hair, blue eyes and freckles. Only Hermione knew that Hugo was the image of his father and that every time she looked at Hugo, she saw Severus Snape gazing back at her.

She and Ron had never talked about Hugo's lack of physical similarity to the Weasleys. It was clear that Ron, like everyone else, assumed that Hugo took after Hermione's family. _And why would Ron think any differently_, Hermione thought. _He would never even consider the possibility that Hugo wasn't his son_. _He would never believe that I had been unfaithful_.

And in many ways Hermione didn't consider herself to be unfaithful to Ron. Her affair with Severus-and Hugo's subsequent conception-had last for only one night, although she carried the memories from that night to this very day.

"Moom! Let's go!" Hugo's tone was slightly irritated, as Hermione realized she'd been lost in her thoughts and focused on the scene in front of her.

Hugo was standing besides Ron, an impatient expression on his face. Ron was talking to Harry and Ginny was crouched beside Harry, comforting Lily, who was still upset at being left at home while her brothers and cousin went off to Hogwarts.

"Okay. Let's go." Hermione put a hand on Hugo's shoulder and smiled down at him. She knew that he was anxious to get to Diagon Alley, as he'd been promised a trip to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and his uncle George always made sure that he never left the joke shop empty handed.

"Ready guys?" Ron asked, in a break from his conversation with Harry.

"Yup. Let's go, Daddy!" Hugo exclaimed, bouncing from one foot to the other.

Hermione turned towards Harry, who was now holding Lily in his arms, and Ginny.

"What about you two? Fancy a trip to Diagon Alley with us?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I really wish we could, but Lily's cranky and I think we should just get her home."

"Maybe next time." Harry added, as he gave Ron a slap on the back and Hermione a peck on the cheek as a goodbye.

"Yeah, next time, mate." Ron said as Harry, Ginny, and Lily disappeared through the platform barrier.

Hermione extended her right arm to Hugo. "Hold on tight."

Hugo grabbed his mother's arm excitedly. He loved Side-Along Apparation, for some unexplained reason, and much preferred gripping his parents' arms to using Floo powder or brooms as a means of travel.

"Ready then? Ron, we'll see in you a minute?" Hermione asked as she checked Hugo's grip on her arm.

"Yup. Where do we meet?"

"Let's meet in front of Flourish & Bolts. I want to look for some new books."

Hugo started jumping up and down excitedly upon hearing Hermione's words. He, like his mother and biological father, had a thirst for knowledge and greatly enjoyed reading new books.

"I wanna go to Flourish & Blotts with Mommy! I want to look at new books too!"

Ron sighed as Hugo's display of exuberance for books. Even after everything that had happened on their search for the Horcruxes and Ron admitting that Hermione's vast knowledge of books had greatly enhanced their search, he still preferred other activities to reading. He had hoped that Hugo would Quidditch crazy, much like Ron had been at his age and still was. And Hugo did love Quidditch, he was even quite good at it, although he much preferred reading.

"Fine. I'll make a quick run to Gringotts while you all are in the bookshop."

Hermione nodded, closed her eyes, instructed Hugo to do the same, and concentrated all her energy on Apparating to a spot in front of Flourish & Blotts, which she did a few minutes later.

By the time Hermione had opened her eyes and collected herself after the brief shake that Apparation always gave her, Hugo had taken off into the shop at a dead run, leaving her standing in the street.

She found Hugo a few minutes later in the Magical Creatures section, browsing through books by Newt Schmander. Magical Creatures was another of Hugo's interests, he'd read his copy of _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ so many times that Hermione had resorted to SpelloTape in order to preserve the bedraggled book.

"Hugo, I've told you a thousand times not to take off without me." Hermione said with a touch of exasperation.

"Sorry, Mommy." Hugo mumbled, not taking his attention from the books.

Hermione had to smile. She couldn't scold her son, not when it came to books.

"Ten minutes, okay? Then we've got to go meet Daddy."

Hugo nodded, not even paying attention to his mother.

Ten minutes later, after paying for their purchases (two new books on magical creatures for Hugo and a magical cookbook for Hermione) the duo was exiting the shop, Hugo a few steps ahead, when Hermione suddenly heard him say, "Oh! Excuse me sir! I didn't mean to bump into you."

Hermione looked up, ready to apologize to whoever Hugo had unintentionally trodden upon in his little boy rush and gasped when she saw a pair of black eyes staring back at her.

After eight years, Hermione was face to face with Severus Snape.

"Miss Granger. And your son, I presume?" Snape said, with a sideways look towards Hugo. He looked back at Hermione and the fire in his eyes was unmistakable. He knew, without words, without proof. Severus knew that Hugo was his son.

_Oh gods. He knows. Severus knows. What's going to happen now?_ Hermione wondered as she pressed her lips together and prepared to face her son's father.


	3. Chapter 3

_J. K. Rowling owns everything! I'm making no money from this!_

Severus Snape had been cursed. Tortured. Poisoned. In the two decades that he'd worked as a spy for Albus Dumbledore, his life had been in danger several times. There were nights when he had been summoned before the Dark Lord that he was sure he was not going to live through the night. Nights that he had been sure the hoax was up, his Occulumency was slipping, Voldemort knew that he was a traitor. Many, many times he felt sure that he would not to Hogwarts that night. Not alive, anyway.

But even after everything he'd been through, nothing, _nothing_ could have prepared him for the moment when he saw Hermione Granger again for the first time in eight years. And with a son, no less!

_His _son, he realized after looking at the boy. The boy couldn't have belonged to Weasley, not with that black hair and those black eyes. No, the boy was his son, and he was hard pressed to believe that no one else had inquired about the boy's paternity, when his looks so blatantly screamed his mother's betrayal.

"Professor Snape. How wonderful to see you after all this time." Hermione said, looking anywhere but in his eyes. Her eyes kept darting towards the boy, as if she expected Severus to reach out and snatch him away-or worse. Reach out and tell him the truth.

"Indeed, Miss Granger. Indeed." Snape said as he stood, firmly planted, arms across his chest, blocking Hermione and Hugo's exit from the shop.

"It's Mrs. Weasley now, if you please, sir." Hermione replied, feeling the battle that would be coming. Perhaps if she started holding her ground now, it would be easier later on, when Snape confronted her face to face, as she knew he would.

Severus raised an eyebrow at Hermione's statement. "Perhaps. But to me you'll always be Miss. Granger. I never forget." He whispered as he brushed past Hermione, leaving the doorway free and disappearing into the shop. Hugo turned to look at his mother, his eyes wide. "Who was that man, Mummy?"

She took a deep breath, still staring at the doorway through which Snape had just disappeared. "Someone I knew from a long time. Come along now, Hugo. It's time we met your father. And I'm sure you're anxious to see what Uncle George has in store for you." Hermione teased, trying to forget what had just happened and the confrontation that she knew was in store for her.

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Hermione was sitting in her office two days later, a letter from Rose in her hands, reading of her daughter's first Hogwarts antics. She'd been sorted into Gryffindor, Rose wrote, along with Albus, much to their relief. Rose wrote of her classes and which ones she liked best (she liked Transfiguration and Charms, but didn't really care for Potions) and of the new friends she'd made. She and Albus had also paid a visit to Hagrid, who'd thrilled them with tales of their parents' antics at Hogwarts. Rose was doing well, it seemed.

Hermione laid the letter on top of her desk and smiled. She was glad Rose was doing well, not that she'd really worried about her. Rose had been an easy child to raise, she was extremely smart and friendly. She'd had had some doubt as to whether Rose would be sorted into Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, but she knew her daughter would be fine wherever she went.

Unlike Hugo, who Hermione feared would one day reveal her betrayal by following in his father's footsteps and being sorted into Slytherin. _Of course_, Hermione thought, remembering her run in with Snape, _that may have already happened._

At that exact moment, an unfamiliar owl swooped into her office, dropped a letter on her desk and swooped out again. Hermione only had to pick the letter up and glance at it to realize the familiar scrawl. She opened the letter, dreading what was inside.

_Miss Granger,_

_I will be apparating to your office in five minutes time. You will permit your wards to admit me, lock your door, and not let anyone interrupt us. If you do not follow my instructions, you will regret it._

_Severus Snape_

Hermione groaned and covered her face with her hands. She'd known the confrontation was coming, but she'd half hoped Severus would ignore the fact that Hugo was his son and let them all continue living their lives. Obviously, that was not to be.

Instead Hermione waved her wand and muttered that incantation that would dissolve the apparition wards and waited.

It was less than five minutes later when Severus appeared in front of her desk, arms crossed, his familiar scowl firmly in place.

"Hello Severus. I've been expecting you." Hermione said, shuffling the papers on her desk, just to do something.

"Indeed." Severus eyed Hermione, his scowl becoming, if possible, even more pronounced.

"So? What do you want, Severus?"

"I think you know exactly what I want." Severus paused. "That boy. He's my son, isn't he?"

Hermione considered lying. For she knew that once she told the truth, her entire world, along with Hugo and the rest the family, would unravel. But she also knew that Severus would not tolerate her lie.

"Yes. He's yours."

Snape's expression didn't change with Hermione's revelation. Instead, his fingers hand went absently to the scar on his neck where Nagini had bitten him. It was a miracle he was still alive, a miracle they'd been able to save him. A miracle, he'd later learned, that he could attribute almost entirely to Potter and Granger. It was they who'd brought Minerva McGonagall to the Shrieking Shack to find him lying half dead on the floor in a pool of his own blood. It had been weeks before the healers were sure he would survive and even then, it had taken him months to fully recover from the nearly fatal bite. And he would have always had that jagged ugly scare reminding him every time he looked into the mirror.

"Severus. Please. Say something."

Snape brought his thoughts back to the present and looked at Hermione. "He's my son. _My _son. And all this time you've let that..that.._weasel_ raise him as if he were his son."

Hermione shook her head. "What else was I supposed to do, Severus? Admit to Ron that I'd had an affair? Break his heart and tell him Hugo wasn't his son?"

"Better than to live a lie. And let that boy grow up with a lie as a father."

Hermione's eyes brimmed with tears. "I didn't know what to do. We were only together for one night. I didn't know Ron wasn't the father until Hugo was born."

Snape swallowed back the urge to ask her what she'd thought when she'd realized Hugo was his son. It didn't matter. Not now, anyway.

"Regardless. Hugo is _my_ son and I'll not let him be raised by Weasley any longer."

Hermione gasped. "Severus, no. Don't do this. Don't tear his life apart. Just let him be."

"Don't tear his life apart or don't tear _your_ life apart?" Snape smirked.

"Please." Hermione whispered, dreading what was about to happen.

"No." Severus glanced around the room. "Fortunately for you, I have an appointment I have to keep. We'll continue this discussion. But be forewarned, Grange. I _will _claim my son."

And with a crack, he disappeared.

Hermione's face sank slowly into her hands, tears seeping onto her cheeks. What would happen now?

_Thanks for all the reviews! Sorry it's taken me so long to update! School's ending soon and I'm all wrapped up in finals and such! I don't know when I'll get to update again, but I'll try to make it sometime soon!_


	4. Chapter 4

Severus sank into his desk chair, breathing heavily. His conversation with Hermione earlier that day had affected him more than he wanted to admit. Although he'd wanted to stay and continue the conversation, that had not been possible.

He'd gone to see Hermione during lunch time, in a break between his classes and he'd had to return earlier than he would have liked.

He never would have thought that if he survived the war (and this had always been a doubtful thing in his mind) he would return to teaching at Hogwarts. What he would have done with the rest of his life, he didn't know, but he would never have thought he'd return to Hogwarts, not when he'd never wanted to be a teacher nor enjoyed teaching in the first place.

But he had. After he'd recovered from that damned snake bite, he hadn't known what to do with himself. He'd just been released from St. Mungo's and was sitting in the living room of his house at Spinner's End when Minerva had come knocking at the door to announce that the Slughorn had decided to stay on as Potions professor, but she still needed a Defense professor and would he be interested in continuing?

At first Severus had wanted to say no, but then he'd realized that he actually didn't have a profession anymore and that he had no idea what he would do to make ends meet. So he'd accepted Minerva's offer and resigned himself to continuing with a job he didn't want and didn't enjoy.

But that was beside the point now. Now, he'd been teaching at Hogwarts since Voldemort's defeat nineteen years earlier, bring his teaching career to a total of thirty four years. He shook his head, still not believing how everything had worked out.

And now..and now he had a son. Hugo, he said, recalling what Hermione had called the boy. He'd been so caught up in seeing the boy and realizing that he had a son that he hadn't even really bothered to learn his son's name. He wondered what the boy's middle name was. _Probably some horrid Weasleyish name_, he thought with disgust. As soon as it was made public that Hugo was his son, he'd see what he could do about getting the boy's name changed to Snape. _If_, Severus amended in his head, _if that was what Hugo wanted_. After all, Severus thought, a small half-smile playing on his lips, from now on, his son was the most important thing in his life.

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That evening, Hermione returned home from work, a cloud of dread hanging over her, her conversation with Severus still ringing in her ears. After he'd left, Hermione had locked herself in her office and told her secretary to hold all owls, that she was working on an important project. In reality, she'd spent the rest of the day staring out her magically enchanted window, wondering how her life had spiraled out of control so fast. And now things were about to get worse. Now, she was going to go home and tell Ron that his only son wasn't his son after all.

Thank heavens Molly has asked if she and Arthur could keep Hugo for the night. At least Hugo wouldn't be there to hear Ron explode when she shared her news. Hermione sighed, hoping that Ron would be working late, so she'd have time to prepare herself and what she was going to say. Her hopes were dashed after Flooing into her fireplace and catching sight of Ron sitting at the kitchen table, talking animatedly with Harry.

"Hey, guys." Hermione said, stepping out of the fireplace and brushing small bits of ash from her shoulders. She set her bag down on the kitchen table and took a glass out of the cupboard, filling it with water from the sink. She took a deep swallow and mentally tried to prepare herself for her coming confrontation with Ron.

"Hey, Hermione." Harry said, standing up from his place at the table.

"Hey, Harry. Leaving so soon? Won't you stay for dinner?" Hermione responded, half frantic to keep Harry from leaving, and wanting to avoid her upcoming conversation with Ron.

"No, sorry. I've got to get back to Ginny and Lily. Thanks anyway, though." Harry took his jacket from the back of the chair and shrugged into it. "Maybe we'll all get together for dinner sometime this week. How's that sound?"

"Great!" Ron said, standing up and clapping Harry on the back. "See you at work tomorrow, mate!"

"Bye Ron, bye Hermione." Harry took a pinch of Floo powder from the jar on the mantle and stepped into the fireplace.

"Bye Harry. Give Ginny my love." Hermione said, knowing that after tonight Ginny would probably not be willing to talk to her anymore. Not after she found out about Hugo. And Ron. And Severus.

"I will." Harry said, and after shouting out the name of his destination (Grimmauld Place!) disappeared in flames of emerald.

Hermione stared at the place where Harry had been standing just moments before, lost in thoughts of what was to come. She was so concentrated on her thoughts she didn't even notice Ron coming up behind her and slipping his arms around her waist.

"I missed you today," He whispered, nuzzling her neck. "Hugo's with my folks tonight. I thought maybe we could…you know…" His hands slipped around to span her stomach and Hermione knew exactly what he meant. And a part of her wanted to. It would be so easy to lose herself in Ron's arms for the moment and forget about Severus and Hugo and the pain that she would soon be bringing Ron. But she knew that every minute that she put it off, she was just delaying the inevitable. From her talk with Severus that afternoon, she knew that Severus would not allow Hugo to be known as Ron's son for much longer. And he'd made it abundantly clear that under no circumstances would he allow his position as Hugo's father to go unrecognized. He would never simply disappear into the background and allow Hermione to continue raising Hugo as Ron's son. And in some deep part of her mind, Hermione admitted to herself that she didn't _want_ to continue living the lie that her life had become. Ron deserved to know the truth, Severus deserved to have a relationship with his son, and Hugo deserved to have a relationship with his biological father.

"Ron," Hermione twisted out of Ron's grasp and moved so that she could look him in the eyes. "Ron, I have to talk to you. It's...it's important."

Ron groaned. "Do we really need to do this right now, Hermione? I don't want to talk tonight. I just want to spend some time with my wife." He moved towards her, a grin on his lips, and Hermione backed away so fast she almost fell over one of the table chairs.

"No, Ron. We need to talk. Now." Hermione took a deep breath and seated herself at the table. She gestured to the seat across from her. "Please. Sit down."

Ron plopped down into the chair across the table and groaned. "Fine, Hermione. What is it?"

Hermione pinched her lips together and took a deep breath, "It's about Hugo, Ron."

Ron's face instantly became more alert. "What about Hugo? Is something wrong with him? Did a letter come from Hogwarts?"

"No, no. He's fine. It's..well…,"

Ron's eyes narrowed. "It's what, Hermione?"

Hermione's eyes filled with tears. "He's not your son, Ron."

"What? What the hell do you mean Hugo's not my son? Of course he's my son!" Ron exploded. "What is this, some kind of joke?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, Ron, it's not joke. I…I had an affair..years ago..and Hugo…he was…was born of that..that affair."

Ron swallowed hard. "An affair. What do you mean you had an affair?"

"I mean, I had an affair, Ron. I…slept with someone else. And that man is Hugo's father."

Ron slammed his fist down onto the table, so hard that it sent a spidery crack through the wood surface. "Why are you telling me this now, Hermione? Why not eight years ago, when he was born?"

This, telling Ron that Snape wanted to be a part of Hugo's life, would be the hardest part. "Because he's back, Ron. He knows Hugo's his and he wants to be part of his life."

Ron began to shake his head before the sentence was even out of Hermione's mouth. "No. No way in hell, Hugo is _my_ son. And however this bastard is, I will be damned if he steps in here and takes my son. Tell me who it is, Hermione! Tell me who you cheated on me with!"

Hermione's lips trembled. "Snape. Severus is Hugo's father."

Ron's eyes nearly bulged out of his head and his face became pale at this statement. "_Snape? _You cheated on me with greasy git? That bloody bastard! How could you do this to me?" He stood up suddenly, his chair flying back and hitting the wall. He began to shake his head vigorously, pacing up and down the room. "No, No. Hermione, I can't stand to look at you. I cannot believe this. First you cheat on me, with that git Snape, and then..after eight years…you tell me the boy I've raised and loved as my son isn't mine! No, Hermione. No. I'm going to my parents for the night. I can't stand being in the same house with you."

He turned around abruptly and slammed both palms onto the table. "But hear this, Hermione! Hugo is _my_ son! Mine. And I will be damned if I let Severus Snape have my son! That Death Eater will see my son over my dead body!" With that parting shot, Ron stepped into the fire, threw his pinch of Floo powder into the air, and with a strangled scream, "The Burrow!" he was gone.

It was only after Ron had left that Hermione realized he'd been crying.

Alone in her empty house, her life lying in shambles around her, Hermione pressed her palms to the cool hardwood of her kitchen table and began to cry.


	5. Chapter 5

_Just let me say that I am so, so sorry about this. This story never has been and never will be abandoned. I was diagnosed with a very serious illness two years ago and that, as you can imagine, took priority in my life. But I'm back now and fully intend to finish this story, so please hang on and stick by me! As always, reviews are much appreciated and I will try to answer them! _

Molly Weasley's life had not been without pain. She and Arthur had a good, strong, loving marriage and a wonderful family to be sure, but the past two wizarding wars had taken their toll, not only on her, but also on her family.

In the first war, she'd lost her brothers Gideon and Fabian Prewett. And the second…well, it still brought tears to her eyes to think of Fred. And she'd very nearly lost Percy too. For a brief moment, before the final battle began, her family had been together once again. She was thankful that, given what had happened later, they'd had that last moment together as a family, no matter how brief it had been.

In the nineteen years since the end of the war, however, she'd learned to enjoy peace again. Having lived through one war and a tense time of peace and then another war…peace had almost been a shock. It had been hard to realize that the He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was gone, for good this time and peace was here to stay. But they'd eventually adjusted and she'd learned to find joy in her remaining children and the grandchildren that had followed shortly after.

In short, life had been peaceful, happy and calm.

So when Ron popped out of the Floo, crying and swearing, with tears running down his face, it took Molly a minute to react, with her first thoughts going to Hermione and Rose. Had something happened?

"Ron! What's wrong?" Arthur asked, standing up from his chair in front of the fireplace where he'd been reading _The Daily Prophet _and Molly had been knitting, trying to get an early start on Christmas sweaters. There were so many more to make these days.

"Ron, whatever is the matter? Here sit, sit down and tell us what's wrong." Molly said, moving her knitting from beside her on the couch to the basket at her feet. Ron collapsed beside her, his elbows propped on his knees, his head buried in his knees. His shoulders shook with sobs as Molly rubbed her hand over his back, a slight hysteria growing in her throat.

"Ronald. Answer your mother. Has something happened to Hermione or Rose?" Molly demanded and finally Ron shook his head.

"N-n-no," He croaked out. "Wh-Where's Hugo?"

His voice broke on his son's name and it took all Ron had to keep from bursting into tears once again…not his son. Snape's son. How in the hell could Hermione do this to him?

"He's out in the garden playing with the gnomes," Molly answered. "For heaven's sake Ron, what is wrong?"

Arthur sank back into his armchair and looked at Ron. "Come on son. You can tell us."

Ron took a deep shuddering breath before raising his head from his hands. How could he tell his parents this, how could he expect them to deal with it when he couldn't even deal with it?

He blew out a deep breath and pressed both fists against his eyes before beginning his story.

"I came home tonight and Hermione said that she needed to talk to me," he said. "I thought maybe something had happened to Rose or Hugo..but then she tells me…," he took a deep breath. "She tells me that Hugo's not my son."

"_What?"_ Molly and Arthur exclaimed simultaneously.

Ron nodded his head miserably. "She said that she had an affair and that man is Hugo's father, not me."

"Well..well!" Molly sputtered, unable to turn her thoughts into words. "Did she tell you who this man is?"

Ron's eyes brimmed with tears as he nodded.

"Who is it, son?" Arthur asked quietly.

"It's Snape. Severus Snape, a murdering Death Eather, is Hugo's father."

Molly's eyes widened and she pressed a hand to her chest, unable to believe what she had just heard.

Arthur stared at Ron and then bowed his head.

"Ron, that can't be true! Did you have a fight? She must be mad at you, what have you done now? Severus _can't _be Hugo's father! _You're _ his father!" Molly cried.

Ron looked up at his mother in disbelief.

"What did I do? I come here and tell you that my wife had an affair and you asked me what _I _did? I didn't do anything, Mum! We didn't have a fight, she isn't mad, I just came home this afternoon and she sprang this on me!" He exclaimed.

Molly shook her head unable to believe what she was hearing, while Arthur thought back over Hugo's childhood, searching for any sign that he wasn't Ron's son.

There was the matter of his looks of course, dark haired and dark eyed. But Hermione was dark haired with brown eyes…and hadn't they always attributed Hugo's looks to her side of the family? Surely different looks didn't mean infidelity. He thought of Hugo's personality, the happy little boy that was currently playing in the garden, how he bounded into rooms and always had a smiled on his face. There was nothing of Severus Snape there. But, Arthur, reasoned, he'd only known Snape in times of war, after he'd joined the Death Eeaters, after Lily Potter died, after he became a double agent…he'd never known Severus as a child..and who knew what he would have been like if given the chance to be happy? And then there was Hugo's love for learning and books, how he preferred reading to play Quidditch. Arthur loved his son, but school had never been on Ron's list of favorites.

It was, Arthur decided, quite possible that Severus was Hugo's biological father.

"Ron, listen, why don't you go on up to bed and we'll discuss this later? We musn't let Hugo see you upset like this," Molly said, tugging Ron off the couch and pushing him in the direction of the stairs that led to his old bedroom.

And even though it was early evening, Ron let himself up tugged and pushed towards the stairs, knowing even as he climbed them that there would be no sleep for him. That he would lie awake all night wondering why this had happened to him.

After Ron had disappeared up the stairs, Molly turned frightened eyes to her husband.

"Arthur. What happens now?" She asked, as her husband wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

But for once in his life, Arthur could find no words to comfort his wife.

_Next chapter will be up within the week!_


	6. Chapter 6

That evening, as Hermione sat alone at her house and Ron tossed and turned in his childhood bed at the Burrow, Severus sat in his seat at the head table at Hogwarts, picking at the food on his plate, his mind on his son. And Hermione Granger.

He wondered if she'd told that husband of hers the truth yet and if so what he'd said. It wasn't as if he cared, however he knew that the sooner Granger broke the truth to Weasley the sooner he would be able to claim Hugo as his own. If Granger had not told Weasley by the end of the week, Severus vowed, he would find the weasel and do it for her. Nothing would keep him apart from his son any longer.

In some small part of his mind, Severus knew that Mr. Weasley would most likely be devastated by the news and that he should feel some degree of sympathy for him. To find out that the child you'd loved and raised for eight years wasn't yours would be an incomprehensible pain. Comparable, Severus thought with a sneer, only to the pain he felt when he'd seen Miss Granger and the boy who must be his in Diagon Alley and realizing that for eight years he'd had a child that he did not existed, a _son _that was living his life with a lie as father. So no, he could not find it within himself to dredge up even the smallest bit of sympathy for Mr. Weasley's loss. Because Weasley's loss was his gain. Besides, Severus thought, his eyes drifting towards the students, unlike himself, Weasley had another child. Rose.

He spotted her among her fellow Gryffindors, talking and laughing with her cousin Albus Potter by her side. Albus _Severus _Potter, he reminded himself with an inward shudder. He still could not believe that there was a Potter that shared his name. Even though he no longer viewed Harry Potter as The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Torment-Him, he thought Potter had gone unnecessarily overboard in naming his son after him. Nevertheless, he sighed. There was nothing to be done about it now.

He'd had both Albus and Rose in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Severus had been especially interested to know what his son's sister was like. And although he hated to compliment Gryffindors-or any student really-more than necessary, he'd found the girl to be bright and well mannered, although she had her mother's annoying habit of reaching towards the ceiling every time she knew an answer and quoting the textbook word for word. He hoped that Hugo didn't develop that irritating habit.

Albus Potter, he'd observed was nothing like his father or his grandfather. In fact, Severus realized, he was more like Lily than anyone else. He even had her legendary green eyes.

Severus was startled from his thoughts by the poking of Sybil Trelawney at his shoulder, eager to tell him what she'd glimpsed of his future that day in her crystal ball. Muttering about inane subjects, Severus stood hastily from his place at the table, shoving back his chair and striding from the Great Hall.

He headed to the Owlery, pulling a parchment and quill from his pocket. He quickly scrawled a note onto the parchment and, selecting a large tawny owl, tied the note to the bird's leg, sent it on its way into the night sky.

As he stood watching the owl fly off into the night, his head was filled with thoughts of his son, of Hermione Granger, a night long ago and an affair that ended before it had the chance to begin.

Hermione was still sitting at her kitchen table, tear tracks drying on her cheeks, when there was a peck at the window. Quickly turning around, Hermione looked to the window, hoping it might be Pigwidgeon, or the Weasley family's owl, or even perhaps the Potters' owl. She was disappointed when she saw an unfamiliar tawny owl with a note tied to its leg.

With a sigh, Hermione rose from her seat and opened the window, allowing the owl into the kitchen, where it helpfully stuck its leg out, allowing her to easily untie the note. She reached for an Owl Treat from a jar on the kitchen counter and after happily accepting it, the owl munched on the treat while waiting for Hermione to open the letter. Obviously, it had been told to wait for a reply.

Hermione unfolded the note, recognizing the familiar scrawl at once and bit back a groan. She had known that she had not heard the last from Severus, that he intended to make good on his threat to claim Hugo as his son, yet she'd thought she would have more time than this.

_Miss Granger,_

_Have you told Weasley the truth yet? If you have not, tell him and soon, or I will do it for you. We are no longer on your time table, nor are we playing by your rules any longer. You've kept my son from me for eight years, I will not allow you to keep him from me for another day. Once you have told Weasley, I believe it would be best for you and I to sit down and discuss how best to tell the boy, as I do not want to cause him any undue stress. I expect your reply within the hour._

_ Severus Snape_

Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes and crumple the note in her hand. Instead, she grabbed a spare piece of parchment and quickly wrote a reply.

_ Professor Snape,_

_I have told Ron. He has not taken the news well and I want to explain things to him before talking to Hugo. I will let you know when things have become more settled._

_ Hermione Weasley _

She tied the note to the bird's leg knowing, as she watched it fly into the night, that her response was likely to only add to his temper. But dammit, this was _his _fault. He was the one who'd intruded on her life, who'd forced her to reveal Hugo's true paternity, not caring what it would do to her or her family.

Shutting the window, Hermione hugged herself against the September chill that had come into the kitchen through the open window. She extinguished all the lights in the room and slowly climbed the stairs to her bedroom, the bedroom that, for the past fifteen years, she'd shared with Ron. It would be the first night she'd slept alone since their marriage.

Changing into a nightgown, Hermione brushed her teeth and snuggled beneath the covers. She found that she was too mad at Severus to miss Ron. As she slowly drifted off to sleep, all Hermione could think of was that it was all Severus's fault that things had happened this way, it was his fault that he didn't know Hugo, it was his fault that things had turned out like this, it had _always_ been his fault..

Even in the beginning…


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, Hermione was sitting at the kitchen table, trying to force herself to eat a bit of breakfast, when Ron popped through the Floo.

He didn't look much better than when she had last seen him, storming from their home in a fit of anger. He was wearing the same clothes he'd had on last night, they were wrinkled, his hair was uncombed, standing on end and his eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn't slept the night before.

"Where's Hugo?" Hermione asked, trying to avoid the subject she knew Ron had come to discuss.

"I left him at my parents," Ron replied, pulling a chair out from under the kitchen table and dropping into it. "I thought it would be better if we talked without him around."

Hermione nodded, folding her hands together on top of the table. He was right, she knew. Hugo's stable little world would be upset soon enough, the least she could do was not fight with Ron in front of Hugo.

She glanced up at Ron and opened her mouth to speak only to snap it close. What to say? Where to begin? Fortunately, she didn't have to speak because Ron started to talk first.

"Okay, Hermione, what's this nonsense about Hugo being Snape's son? Why would you even say something like that?" Ron asked, as he scrubbed at his face with his hands.

Hermione sighed and bit her lip. Nothing about this was going to be easy, she might as well go ahead and get it over with.

"Ron…it's not nonsense. It's the truth. Hugo is Severus's son."

Ron looked at her and drew in a deep breath. She could tell he was trying to control his temper and for that, she was grateful.

"So you…you had a one night stand…with _Snape_?" Ron asked between gritted teeth. "You cheated on me for one good fool around with Snape? How could you, Hermione? How could you do this to me?"

Hermione quickly rose from the table and turned away from the pain in Ron's eyes. She needed to explain, but it was so hard to explain when she didn't even really understand herself.

"It wasn't a one night stand, Ron."

She heard him draw in a sharp breath and braced herself for what he would say next.

"Are you trying to tell me that you've been cheating on me for our entire marriage? With Snape?"

She quickly shook her head, not wanting Ron to think things were any worse than they already were. "No, I didn't…it was…it's complicated, Ron."

"Then explain it to me, dammit!" Ron cried, wanting with everything in him to scream or hit or kick something just so that the pain inside him would go away or so someone else would feel as bad as he did.

Hermione turned to face Ron, knowing that she would was getting ready to say next would most likely end her marriage and the peaceful life her children had known up until that point. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth while she tried to think of the best way to explain things to Ron before beginning her story.

While Severus was recovering from Nagini's bite, she'd been horrified to learn that he would stand trial for the Death Eater activities he'd participated in during the war and-most shocking of all-for the death of Albus Dumbledore. She had hoped that Harry's possession of Snape's memories would nullify the need for a trial and she'd even spoken to the new minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt, in his first weeks in office, begging him not to put Snape on trial. Couldn't they see that he was a hero?

She'd learned that Kingsley had no more desire to put Severus on trial than she did, but he explained to her, there were those in wizarding community who were screaming for vengeance. They wanted someone to blame, someone alive, and unfortunately, Severus fit the bill. If he had died, he would have most likely been lauded as a hero. But because he'd survived, there were those who wanted his blood for the crimes he'd committed as a Death Eater. And the other surviving Death Eaters were being put on trial…it was only fair that Snape be put on trial too.

Hermione had stormed out of Kingsley's office, disappointed, not for the first time, in the wizarding world and their inability to forget or forgive.

She'd gone straight to St. Mungo's, where Severus had just learned that he was to stand trial, and burst into Severus's room in rage. He'd been lying in bed, his eyes closed, when she burst through the door.

"Of all the-nonsensical-demented-outrageous!" were just some of the words he'd caught coming from her mouth, along with some that he would have never guessed that the Gryffindor know-it-all knew.

"Miss Granger. Cease your absurd mutterings. I'm trying to rest. And after that, get out of my room." He said, not having moved one muscle, his eyes still closed.

"Professor! Have you not heard? They say you're to stand trial for being a Death Eater!"

"Yes, Miss Granger, I've been notified. Now get out."

Hermione's eyes widened in shock. "Don't you plan to do anything about it, Professor?"

"Yes, I do." He replied, eyes still closed.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. At least he wasn't planning to take this laying down.

"I plan to stand trial and after that, live out my remaining years in Azkaban. Now, for the last time, get out."

Hermione's head started to shake before he even finished his sentence. "No, Professor, I won't let you do that. You're a hero, you do not belong in Azkaban."

Snape's eyes flew open. "Miss Granger, you do not know what you are talking about. I was a Death Eater, I murdered and tortured people. I killed _Albus Dumbledore_. It's only right that I should stand trial for what I did."

"How can you even say that? Everything you did, you did on Dumbledore's orders, even killing him, it was all for-" she stammered, not wanting to utter the phrase 'the greater good'. "The point is, you can't stand trial for this. You've done nothing wrong, nothing that you didn't have to do. If it wasn't for you, we might have never won the war."

"Be that as it may, Miss Granger, it does not matter. I will stand trial and then I'll be sent to Azkaban. Now for the last time, _get out of my room_!"

Hermione grabbed a chair from beside the door and pulled it up next to Snape's bed.

"No," she said. "No, I won't get out and I won't let you stand trial. Not alone, anyway."

Snape's eyes narrowed and he smirked at her. "What do you plan to do, Granger? Throw yourself in front of the Dementors?"

"No." she said, with a shake of her head. "I plan to mount a defense for you. I won't let you be sent to Azkaban."

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to think of the easiest way to get this silly girl out of his room.

"I've no need of your so called 'defense', Granger. I will deal with this myself, as I have always done. Now get out of my room before I have the healers throw you out." With that, he reclined back against his pillows and closed his eyes once again.

"No." Hermione said quietly. "That's not good enough." Tentatively, she reached out and took Snape's hand in hers. When his eyes flew open, the rage in them barely concealed, she only held tighter to his hand.

"No. You won't go through this alone and you won't go to Azkaban."

Snape opened his mouth to reply but was stopped by the feel of her hand against his. How long had it been since he'd been touched this way? In a way that demonstrated kindness and caring. In a way that said he wasn't alone.

So long that he couldn't even remember it.

It wouldn't hurt, he supposed, to allow her to construct a defense for him, even if the end result was still the same.

And that was how Hermione Granger and Harry Potter came to the defense of Severus Snape. Determined not to let him go to Azkaban, they worked day and night trying to find witnesses and other evidence that would keep him away from the Dementors. Any memory, any clue, any fragment of evidence was catalogued and filed into evidence. Hermione, of course, put in the most work, as Harry was busy with Auror training, and even though she was in the midst of her seventh year, she came first to the hospital and, once he was released, his home at Spinner's End, every day to talk to Snape and put together the defense she prayed would save him.

It was during this time that she began to feel things she'd never felt before for the feared Potions Master. At first it was little things, the way his eyes lingered on hers for a second too long, the way he seemed to smirk less in her presence, the way his eyes seemed brighter when she came through the door. Of course, she tried to convince herself that it was all just the result of spending so much time with him. And perhaps she could have gone on convincing herself that, if it hadn't been for what happened after the trial.

The trial was a mockery, held, as everyone seemed to know, for the benefit of those few unknown wizards who, for reasons no one quite understood, wanted to see Severus punished for crimes that he had never willingly committed.

When the unanimous innocent verdict came back, after less than ten minutes of deliberation, there had been screams of joy from the spectators in court, Harry had leaped to his feet with a huge smile on his face and Hermione had started to cry. While everyone else went to the Three Broomsticks to celebrate, Severus simply stood up from his chair and left the courtroom. Hermione followed him, from the steps of the ministry to his home at Spinner's End.

She had knocked softly on the door and when it was flung open by Snape, he didn't seem surprised to see her there. Rather, he had simply reached for her hand and pulled her over the threshold. Shutting the door behind her, he pressed her up against the door and rubbed his lips gently over hers, one hand at her waist, the other holding her hand to his chest. And without even thinking, Hermione had opened her mouth to allow him greater access, responding to his kiss in ways she didn't even know existed. With her free hand, she put her palm against his cheek, causing him to shiver and she smiled at the thought of Severus Snape, feared professor of Hogwarts and ex Death Eater, shivering at her touch.

She didn't remember how it happened, but they ended up in his bed, limbs tangled together and as she lay in bed staring at his ceiling, she knew she would never forget the moment he entered her for the first time, the sweet mix of please and pain she'd felt or the way he trembled as she ran her hands over his back and locked her legs around his hips, the way he softly moaned her name. They'd fallen asleep in each other's arms and throughout the night, they'd woken and made love several times.

The next morning Hermione woke alone in the predawn light. She pulled her clothes from the night before on and went in search or Severus, finding him in his living room, sitting on the couch, a cold cup of coffee between his hands as he stared out the window.

She told him that she loved him, that she would leave Ron, who she'd been dating since the start of the war, although they'd yet to consummate their relationship, and they could try to make a life together. It would be hard at times, she told him, but the rewards in the end would be so much greater.

He told her she didn't know what love was. That last night had meant nothing to him and it shouldn't mean anything to her either. He told her to get out and go back to her weasel, because there was nothing for her there.

She'd left crying, the tears blinding her and she hadn't seen him again until years later, after she'd married and had Rose. She'd come to Hogwarts to talk about her career to the seventh years and Minerva had invited her to stay for dinner. As luck would have it, she'd been seated next to Severus and even though he hadn't spoken a word to her or anyone else at dinner, she'd noticed the way his body stiffened when she sat down next to him.

She'd barely been able to concentrate on dinner with him sitting right next to her and everything unspoken between them. When he'd gotten up, she'd quickly made her excuses to Minerva and followed, only, she tried to convince herself, because she'd never been able to figure out what she'd done wrong. She didn't want to admit that she loved him then and loved him still.

And just like that day so many years ago, he hadn't been surprised to see her standing at his door. And this time, when he kissed her, it wasn't a gentle kiss as it had been before. Rather, it was a kiss full of pent up passion, longing and misery, as if he was trying to express everything he couldn't say through the kiss. She hadn't been surprised when they ended up in bed, she hadn't even had time to feel guilty about it, as together they touched the sun again and again.

Afterwards, as he held her in his arms, she'd offered to leave Ron for the second time. She loved Ron, but what she felt for him in no way compared to what she felt for Severus. And now she knew, or at least suspected, that he felt the same way about her.

But for the second time in her life, Severus told her no.

She'd been so mad that she'd left, ignoring her as he called her name, just determined to get as far away from him as she possibly could.

A month later she'd realized she was pregnant with Hugo.

And she couldn't tell Severus. He'd made it clear that he didn't want her, didn't want their relationship, so why would he want their baby?

Instead, she'd let Ron believe Hugo was his and in doing so, she'd created a lie so big that it almost seemed as if there was no way to reel it in.

As she finished her story, tears were falling down her cheeks and although she'd only told Ron the basics, he was crying too. She started to reach for his hand and then stopped, because she no longer knew how he felt about her.

She had her answer, however, when he stood up from the kitchen table, his eyes red and raw, and looked at her with hate filled eyes.

"Our whole marriage has been a lie. All this time, you've been with me, yet you've been thinking about Snape," He pushed his chair in and just before stepping into the Floo, he turned and looked at her.

"We're done, Hermione."

As he left, Hermione took a deep breath and ran a hand over her face before stepping into the Floo. She knew was coming and she didn't want to delay it any longer. With a pinch of Floo powder and a cry of "Hogwarts!" she was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

"Hermione! What brings you to Hogwarts?" Minerva McGonagall asked with a pleased smile as she watched her former student climb out of the fireplace.

Hermione stood up, brushing bits of ash and dust from her clothes before answering.

"I've actually come to see Professor Snape." She replied, pretending not to notice the strange look that passed over McGonagall's face.

"Of course. Severus does not have a first period class in the morning. You can probably catch him in his office."

"Thank you, Professor," Hermione turned to leave and then stopped. "How is Rose doing? From her letters, it seems as if she's fine, but I just wanted to be sure.."

McGonagall peered at Hermione over the tops of her square glasses before answering.

"She's fine. Perfectly delightful, actually. The teachers report that she is an engaging child, polite and eager to learn. In other words…just like her mother."

Hermione smiled and nodded her thanks before leaving the Headmistresses' office.

As she quickly walked towards Severus's classrooms, she wondered how much longer Rose would remain fine. She would learn, sooner rather than later, of her mother's unfaithfulness and Hugo's true paternity. She could only hope that Rose wouldn't blame Hugo or herself for the problems between Hermione and Ron. It wasn't the children's fault and it certainly wasn't Ron's. No, the blame for these problems lay directly on Hermione's shoulders…if she'd just been honest with Ron…she couldn't wish she'd never been with Severus because then she wouldn't have Hugo, yet nor could she wish away her time with Ron because that would mean a life without Rose. And she couldn't imagine life without either of her children.

Hermione came to the door Severus's classroom and, not bothering to knock, she opened the door and walked in to find Severus sitting at his desk, head bent, grading papers.

"Hello Severus." She said, shutting the door softly behind her.

He raised his head and eyed her with suspicion. "Miss Granger."

She didn't bother to correct him because she no longer felt she had a right to call herself Hermione Weasely. And it wasn't as if he'd pay attention anyway. He'd call her Miss Granger simply out of spite.

"I hope you're here with news of my son, otherwise I have nothing to say to you." Severus said, leaning back in his chair.

Hermione felt her face contort in a grimace and couldn't stop the rush of words that came from her mouth. "_Your_ son? I love how suddenly he's your son. He's eight years old and all of a sudden you want to claim him as _your son_."

Severus narrowed his eyes at her. "What an impassioned little speech, Granger. However, you forget that I didn't know he even existed because you decided you had the right to keep the knowledge of my son's birth from me."

"Did you actually expect me to tell you I was carrying your child after what happened between us?" Hermione's mouth gaped open. Was he really self-righteous enough to believe he was the wronged party in this situation? How could he even begin to think she should have told him Hugo was his after what happened between them? He'd thrown her out of his rooms and out of his life. He'd told her that he didn't want her. How could she have expected him to react when she told him Hugo was on the way? She'd though about it, of course, in the early days of her pregnancy. She knew the baby was more likely Severus's, the timing was just too perfect for it to be Ron's. She'd had visions of coming to tell Severus she was carrying his child and him being delighted by the news, sweeping her into his arms and telling her that nothing was more important to him than her and their baby.

Of course, she'd known it would never happen.

She started to sputter out all her thoughts to Severus when he suddenly stood from behind his desk and held up a hand.

"Stop, Miss Granger. We will not be rehashing our past, from this point on we will only be dealing with issues concerning our son. I don't want to hear another word about what happened years ago."

He sat back down behind his desk and crossed his arms over his chest and then looked at Hermione with distant eyes.

"So, Miss Granger. About our son?"

Hermione gritted her teeth and counted to ten before answering Snape.

"I've talked to Ron and explained things to him. He is…very angry. I didn't discuss telling Hugo the truth with him. But I suppose he expects it."

Severus said nothing, simply raised his eyebrow at Hermione.

"I want to make this as easy as possible on Hugo. Ron has…indicated that he intends to file for divorce, so that will be one more thing Hugo has to deal with. His whole life is going to be turned upside down and I want things to be as easy as possible for him. So however we do this, we need to make sure we do it in the easiest way possible. We can't make this any harder on him than it already will be."

She leaned back again the row of student desks and took in a deep breath as she waited for Severus to respond.

"Just make sure you tell him soon, Granger. I won't wait much longer.

Hermione started to roll her eyes and stopped, thinking better of it. If Severus really intended to be a father and be involved in Hugo's life, then he would also, by extension, be involved in her life. And for the sake of their son, they needed to be civil with each other.

"I will tell him. And then we can…introduce you to him and go from there," she looked at Severus, needing him to see understand. "But this will take time. I hope you know that. Ron is the only father Hugo has ever known. It will take him time."

Severus nodded. "I understand."

"Good. Well. I'll be going then. I'll owl you as soon as I've talked to him." She said as she left and softly closed the door behind her.

Severus said nothing, simply watched her walk out the door before he rose from his desk and walked over to the window, staring out over the grounds of Hogwarts.

In spite of what Hermione seemed to think, he was not at all confident about his introduction into his son's life. All his life, Hugo had been surrounded by the Weasley family. He had grown up with the comfort of knowing he had a big extended family to rely on. And Severus had no one but himself. It had been years since he'd had any sort of family. Was it fair to ask Hugo to go from having a large, supportive family to having a an unknown father? And he also worried about what people would say to his son once they found out that his father was Severus Snape, murderer of Albus Dumbledore, ex Death Eater, snarky, greasy bat of the dungeons. He would be judged and maybe even shunned for his association with him. Maybe it would be better to let Hugo grow up with the Weasleys and watch him from afar.

But then Severus remembered how'd he'd felt when he'd realized his time with Hermione Granger had produced a son. The emotion that he'd felt build in the pit of his stomach when he'd realized his son was a mirror image of himself, when'd he seen him smile in the bookstore and he knew, even without ever having spoken to him, that he could not give his son up.

Severus Snape had no idea how to be a father. But he'd be damned if he let the chance pass him by without even trying.

Normally, Hermione would have Flooed to the Burrow. But she knew that Ron had spent the night there, that he might even be there now for all she knew, and that he'd informed Molly and Arthur of the situation. She felt uncomfortable even going to their house, but she wanted her son and she knew that if she wanted him, she'd have to go to the Burrow to get him.

After sending her Patronus to work and letting them know that she wouldn't be in that day, she apparated to the Burrow and took a deep breath before knocking on the front door.

"Hermione." Molly's look said it all as she stood in the doorway, not showing any intention of letting Hermione into the house.

". I've come for Hugo. Is he still here?" Hermione asked, determined not to discuss Severus's connection to Hugo. Not now.

Molly's face contorted and she put both hands on her hips as she glared at Hermione. "I think you have a lot of nerve showing up here after what you've done to Ron. Not to mention poor Hugo. _Snape_? How could you! For Merlin's sake Hermione, do you have any idea what having Severus Snape for a father will do to that poor little boy? Of all the-"

Hermione cut her off abruptly. "Molly. Please. I need to see my son. Is he here?"

Molly opened her mouth to respond but was stopped when Arthur suddenly appeared at her shoulder.

"Hermione. You've come for Hugo. Ron said you would. Please, come in." Arthur gently took hold of Molly's arm and pulled her away from the door, allowing Hermione to step inside.

"Hugo's upstairs, Molly, why don't you fetch him?" Molly started to protest but was silenced when Arthur looked at her. As she walked away, Arthur shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to look at Hermione.

"I won't pretend to understand what's going on here, Hermione," Arthur said honestly. "But what I do understand is that Molly and I love Hugo and Rose and for their sakes, we should all try to act like adults here. They're going to need us."

Hermione had always loved the Weasleys and she had never appreciate Arthur's gentle nature than now.

"Mr. Weasley, just please understand. I love you all. Things were so just complicated…" she shrugged, not knowing what else to say. How could she try to condone her affair with Severus to her husband's father? Things were so difficult and how could she being to explain when she didn't even really understand?

Arthur only nodded.

"Mummy!" Hermione heard Hugo's squeal before she saw him and her mood automatically lifted.

"Mum, I played with the gnomes and I saw the ghoul and Uncle Charlie and Aunt Angelina came by and they brought me presents!" Hugo exclaimed, launching himself at Hermione, practically tripping over himself in his rush to tell his mother everything, as if he was afraid he'd forget.

Hermione smiled and took Hugo by the hand. "I'm glad you had fun, buddy. You think you're ready to come home?

Hugo smiled and nodded. "Can we play chess when we get home, Mum?"

Hermione stifled a groan. Where Hugo had picked up his love of chess, she had no idea, although she suspected it had come straight from Severus, as so many of his attributes seemed to. He was extremely good at it and it was almost impossible to play with him, simply because he was so good.

"Sure, why not? Tell Grandma and Grandpa goodbye." Hermione watched as Hugo kissed his grandparents goodbye, then led him into the yard as Molly and Arthur stood in the doorway and watched.

"Ready? Hold tight." Hugo grabbed her arm and with a wave to his grandparents and a loud POP, they were gone.

**Author's Note: I just really want to thank all the people who've left comments and reviews, added my story to alerts, favorite story lists, favorite authors,etc. You all have no idea how much this means to me! Please review and leave your thoughts on this chapter, so that I know what I'm doing right, what I'm doing wrong, what you all would like to see happen in the story, etc. I hope to have the next chapter up soon! :-) **


	9. Chapter 9

Ron stood at the steps of Grimmauld Place, his fist posed to knock. He couldn't believe he was really having to do this, ask his sister and brother-in-law if he could crash at their house for awhile because he was divorcing his wife of fifteen years. Why was he divorcing his wife? Oh, just that little matter of her having lied about their son's paternity for eight years.

It was the stuff of books, not something that really happened to people. And it certainly didn't happen to people like him. He was Ron Weasley, he was part of the Golden Trio, defenders of wizarding kind and conquerors of Voldemort.

Surely this was a dream.

Surely he would wake up soon.

But it wasn't a dream. It was his life now and he had to remember that.

With a sigh, he knocked on the door, dreading having to tell Harry and Ginny what had happened. How could he even begin to explain the total wreck his life had become in the past few days.

"Ron! What are you doing here? Come in!" Ginny ushered Ron, yelling over her shoulder. "Harry! Ron's here!"

"Ron, good to see you, mate!" Harry said as he came downstairs. "Lily would say hi, but we just put her to bed."

Ron shrugged. "That's okay. I actually need to talk to the two of you. It's kind of a 'grown up' matter."

"Oh. Okay." Ginny looked at Ron, a strange expression on her face before she turned and looked at her husband. Harry raised his eyebrows at his wife before turning his hand to Ron and clapping a hand onto his shoulder. "Come on into the kitchen and we'll talk."

Ron nodded uneasily as he followed Harry and Ginny into the kitchen, wondering how to best tell Harry and Ginny the news.

"Tea, Ron?" Ginny asked, lifting the screeching tea pot off the stove and pouring a cup for herself and Harry.

Ron nodded absentmindedly, thinking of Hermione and Hugo. He wondered if Hermione had picked up Hugo from the Burrow yet and if she had, was she planning to tell him the truth? Even now, was she sitting with Hugo, telling him that Ron wasn't his father? He shuddered at the thought of his beloved boy learning that Severus Snape, a stranger, was his father, not the man he had known and grown up with for his entire childhood. Hugo was _his_ son. Biology be damned. He was his son and he was not giving him up without a fight.

Ginny and Harry sat down across the kitchen table from Ron and exchanged a look before looking at Ron.

"So? What's up?" Harry asked, taking a sip of his tea.

Ron took a deep breath, trying to organize his thoughts before speaking. "Hermione and I are getting a divorce."

"What?" Ginny gasped.

"We're getting a divorce. Our marriage is a sham and I refuse to stay married to a cheating bint like her one minute longer." Ron repeated angrily.

"Cheating? Hermione cheated?" Harry cried. "Ron, are you sure? Maybe this is all just a misunderstanding."

Ron shook his head and, steeling himself, repeated to Harry and Ginny what Hermione had told him of her affair with Snape. As he told the story, he had to stop and compose himself several times before going on, because he could feel the anger at what Hermione had done radiating through his entire body.

When he finished, Harry had a dazed expression on his face and Ginny's hand was clamped over her mouth, tears in her eyes.

"Ron…I just..I can't believe this." Harry said, one arm going around Ginny's shaking shoulders.

Ron shrugged his shoulders, his hands locked around his mug of tea. If _they_ couldn't believe it, how did they think _he _felt? Hermione was his wife. They'd sworn to love and honor only each other for the rest of their lives, till death took them apart. He would never have thought this would ever happen to them. In fact, until he'd come home the previous night, he had thought things were going fine. Oh, of course every marriage had its obstacles and his had been no different. There were things that they disagreed on and sometimes quarreled over, but it was nothing major. Certainly nothing that would have led him to doubt Hermione's fidelity and Hugo's paternity.

"I know…I can't believe it myself," Ron said. He squirmed in his chair, dreading have to ask the next question. "Do you think that I could maybe stay here for a couple of days? Just until I get things straightened out? Hermione's at the house and Mum and Dad…" Ron let his voice trail off, knowing that no further explanation was neeed.

Ginny looked up at Ron, wiping the tears from underneath her eyes. "Of course, Ron. You know that we're here for you anytime you need us."

Harry nodded his head in agreement, still too stunned to say much. He thought he knew Hermione. But this… that Hugo was _Snape's _son…proved that he knew nothing about the woman he considered one of his best friends. And in the back of his mind, there was anger. How could she have done this to Ron, to Hugo, to their entire family? Didn't she realize that secrets always came to life and when they did, they tended to cause grief and destruction? He was jolted from further musings by a question from Ginny

"What happens now?" Ginny asked. "What happens to Hugo? What happens to your place in his life?"

Ron's head snapped up and suddenly his eyes were clear again, the hazy and unfocused look he'd come in with gone. His eyes narrowed and he felt the anger swimming through his bloodstream again.

"I'll tell you this. That Death Eater is _not_ getting his hands on my son. I'll be damned if I let that git swoop in and take my son away from me. And if Hermione thinks that I'm going to go peacefully, so she can have some warped little fairy tale life with the Great Git, she has another thing coming. I am not letting my son go without a fight."

Hermione sat on the couch, studying Hugo's face across the coffee table. They were playing with his chocolate frog cards and several familiar faces, among them the face of war hero Severus Snape. Seeing Severus's face scowling up at her reminded Hermione that time was running out. She had to tell Hugo the truth. And soon.

"Hugo," Hermione began, taking a deep breath. "We need to talk about something. Something pretty serious, okay?"

Hugo barely glanced up from his cards. "Sure, Mum."

Hermione patted the empty place on the couch beside her. "Come and sit beside me, okay?"

Hugo plopped down next to Hermione and looked at her expectantly.

Hermione put her arm around Hugo's skinny shoulders and mentally steeled herself, praying for guidance for what was to come.

"So, you know that your daddy and I love you, right?" Hermione began, looking at Hugo, who nodded as if to say, _so what Mom? Tell me something I don't know._

"Okay, well…Ron is your daddy, right?"

Again, Hugo nodded.

Hermione bit her lip and prayed she was going about this the right way.

"So Ron is your daddy and he raised you and he loves," She paused. "But he is not your biological father. Do you know what that means?" Hermione asked, her eyes locked onto Hugo's.

Hugo's forehead wrinkled. "So Daddy isn't my daddy?"

"Well…he loves you and he's been your daddy your entire life, but he's not your _real_ daddy."

"Is he Rose's real daddy?" Hugo asked, his eyes wide and a growing panic showing on his face.

Hermione nodded, cursing herself for this, for what she was doing to her baby boy.

"Yes, he's Rose's real father. But Rose is still your sister and she still loves you."

Hugo nodded and worried his bottom lip between his teeth. "So who's my daddy then?"

Unconsciously, Hermione's hand drifted to cover the face of Severus's chocolate frog card. Should she really tell Hugo now or should she wait? How much information could he take at one time?

"His name is Severus. Severus Snape."

Hugo's eyes went wide and he grabbed the chocolate frog card out from underneath her hand. He flipped it over and looked at the picture of Severus scowling back at him. Looking at Hermione, he held the card up in the palm of his hand.

"This is my dad?" he asked.

Hermione nodded, once again mentally cursing herself for doing this. The confusion was evident on poor Hugo's face. And who knew how much worse things were going to get?

"Are Grandma and Grandpa still my grandparents? And what about Uncle George and Aunt Angelina? And Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur? And Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry?" the questions poured out of Hugo's mouth, evidence of his little boy mind trying to make sense of something he didn't understand. "Are Lily and James and Albus still my cousins? Will I still get to play with them?"

Hermione tried to think of the best way to put this. She hoped and prayed that the Weasleys would still accept Hugo and treat him as one of their own. Severus probably wouldn't like it, but on this issue Hermione would not budge. The Weasleys were all Hugo had ever known. To totally rip him away from them would be cruel and unfair.

"I think," Hermione began. "That Grandma and Grandpa will still want to be your grandparents and your uncles and aunts will still want to be your uncles and aunts. And of course, Lily, James, and Albus will still be your cousins and you will still get to play with them. You're a very special little boy. Why _wouldn't_ people want to be around you?"

Hugo nodded slowly and then stared at the card in his hand. "What about him? Will I ever meet him?"

Hermione studied Hugo's face before replying. "He would really like to meet you. He'd like to be a part of your life. Do you think you'd be okay with that?" She asked, holding her breath. As much as she resented Severus for bringing the issue of Hugo's paternity to life, she didn't want to think about what it would do to Severus if his only son wanted nothing to do with him.

"What about Daddy? Will he get mad?"

"I think he'll understand." Hermione said, smiling reassuringly.

Hugo nodded, intently studying the wood of the coffee table. "I still don't really understand how Daddy isn't my daddy anymore."

Hermione sighed. She'd known that Hugo wouldn't really grasp what it meant. He was only eight years old. And she had no idea how to explain it to him.

"Let's just say that Severus is the man that Mommy made you with. And he's the man that you get a lot of things from…like your hair and your eyes and your height. And when you're older, I'll explain more, okay?"

Hugo looked at her for a minute and then shrugged. "Okay. Can I go to my room now?"

Hermione hesitated, then nodded. Hugo had probably had all he could take for now. It wouldn't help to overload him with information. As she watched Hugo disappear upstairs, she felt a deep, bone weary tiredness set in. A tiredness that, she knew, was more mental and emotional than physical. Sighing heavily, she rose from the couch, knowing what she had to do. Even though she was so tired she felt as if she could have slept for days, she had to write to Severus and tell him that Hugo knew the truth.

_Severus,_

_ I've told Hugo the truth. As can be expected, he is confused. He doesn't really understand how Ron is no longer his 'real' father and how you suddenly are. He asked if he would be meeting you and when I told him that I thought you would like that, he seemed okay with it. You must understand, however, that he is only a little boy and his feelings can change at the drop of a wand. I understand that you want to meet your son, but please…for Hugo's sake, we must take things slowly and carefully, so as not to upset Hugo. I hope that I can count on your patience and understanding._

_ Hermione_

As Hermione watched the family owl fly off into the night, she felt a sudden sense of trepidation wash over her. Even though she had told Hugo the truth, she knew Ron and Severus would not make this easy. The battle was only beginning.

**Author's Note: I just really want to thank all the people who've left comments and reviews, added my story to alerts, favorite story lists, favorite authors,etc. You all have no idea how much this means to me! Please review and leave your thoughts on this chapter, so that I know what I'm doing right, what I'm doing wrong, what you all would like to see happen in the story, etc. I hope to have the next chapter up soon! :-)**


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